One of my projects for this summer was to consolidate all of the various documents I use to teach writing and put them into one accessible place. I don’t pretend to be the authority on writing methods on the AP Exam, but these are things that I have seen help my student improve their writing scores year over year. I know that I would have definitely benefitted from something like this when I started teaching APUSH to give me and my students a foundation in writing. Feel free to use any or all of the methods included in the document!

The document is embedded into this blog post, also linked here, and is structured in the following way.

Short Answer Questions

• This section explains the A-C-E method, which is also similar to the T-E-A that other teachers use. I outlined how I use the A-C-E method in this earlier blogpost. The difference between the blogpost and the new document is the example used to illustrate the way to write. Since most teachers teach short answers first, the example I included is on Native American and European contact in the first historical period.

Introduction Paragraphs

• The next section teaches how to write context and thesis statements. The method for writing context is similar to the Broad-Narrow-Bridge method I wrote about in this earlier blogpost. This past year I saw an increase in the average number of students getting the Context point, up to 80% on the DBQ. However, I updated the method based on the growing recommendation of the 4-1-1 method that asks students to provide four sentences of context. The biggest change here is that students are asked to provide and define two pieces of evidence from the previous period, essentially writing two “Narrow” sentences.

• There hasn’t been a blogpost on APUSHslides.com on thesis, but this document outlines the method I’ve taught theses for statements for the last 3 years. I have no plans of changing it because of the success I’ve seen with it. In the last two years every student in my cohorts of 90+ student got the thesis point on the DBQ. This method of writing theses splits the statement into two sentences. One sentence is solely for the historically defensible claim, and the other is for the line of reasoning.

DBQ Body Paragraphs

• The following section covers elements specific to the DBQ. It covers describing evidence from the documents, using the evidence to back an argument and introducing outside evidence, in addition to the HAPP analysis.

• Given that all evidence are grouped together in the score report, it’s difficult to quantify in definitive terms what part of this method has worked. Despite that, the 2.2/3 and 2.0/3 that my students have averaged in the last two years tells me something is working. My best guess is that students achieve the first evidence point (correctly describing three documents) quite easily, then they most often succeed in getting the outside evidence point using the A-C-E method I outline in the document. Getting the second evidence point (using six documents to support an argument), I believe is harder to achieve because of the time it takes to write on all six documents, not necessarily because students are incapable of supporting an argument. Some teachers encourage students to not even attempt this point for the sake of time, though I have not included that kind of recommendation.

• Since the analysis category is also grouped in the instructional report, it’s hard to determine the effectiveness of this strategy. However, given the rarity in which the complex understanding point is awarded, I consider that the vast majority of my students got the first analysis point when they averaged .9/2 on the analysis row of the rubric. When I teach HAPP I steer my students to only attempt Historical Situation. This is because when they attempt any of the other categories their “analysis” comes out as just another description or summary of the document, which is not sufficient. Historical situation allows them to demonstrate further historical knowledge of something that came before or after the document and their connection to the document counts as form analysis.

LEQ Body Paragraphs

• Data from the LEQ instructional report is even harder to quantify because, like the DBQ report, the averages for each item in the rubric are not itemized and they are spread across three questions of varying difficulty. This year my students had a variance of .5 points between the question with the highest and lowest average. The year before that, the gap was a full point. Therefore choosing the right prompt, or the one that students have the most knowledge on and clearly understand, is just as important as any writing method outlined.

• The method for writing evidence in the LEQ included in the document takes care of both of the categories in the evidence row of the rubric. That is, introducing and using evidence to support an argument. This past year, my students scored 1.7/2, 1.3/2 and 1.5/2 points in this part of the rubric. All of my students use the same method to write, so I attribute the variation here to their content knowledge. Students were also wise in their selection of prompt as only 16 of the 93 chose the “harder” prompt which was about 19th century political parties.

• One change I am making for this year is the use of conclusion sentences in addition to topic sentences to further demonstrate their command of historical thinking skills. There are examples for each of the three thinking skills (causation, comparison, change and continuity over time) across different historical topics.

Conclusion Paragraph

• This is the place where I encourage students to attempt the complex understanding point after they’ve restated their thesis. I note in the document that some teachers and graders are adamant that the complex understanding point cannot solely come from their conclusion sentence. When I grade practice essays in class I do award points for an attempt in the conclusion as long as two things are true.

  • 1. The rest of the essay must be air tight, meaning there are not glaring historical inaccuracies. I remind students that you cannot demonstrate a complex understanding of the topic if you do not at least demonstrate a basic understanding of the topic first.

  • 2. The complex understanding attempt is at least four sentences in which they bring in various pieces of evidence, connect them to the prompt, and most importantly incorporate that information into their argument.

• Again, some teachers encourage their students to not attempt this point in the rubric and include more evidence or analysis in their essay.

Appendix

• Finally, the document ends with an appendix with quick reference sheets that can act as checklists when students write. I allow students to write with a reference sheet during their practices, which are ungraded, to take pressure off and help them get started. By the end of the year, the'y’ve written so much that they no longer need the outlines.

I hope you find some use out of this document, and if you’re looking for more resources for your APUSH class, check out the APUSHslides store!